EAS 105
THE PLANETS
A Journey Through Space and Time

 

General Outline

I.          Introduction to Planetology

Physical units and powers of time, scale of the solar system and historical perspective, Kepler's and Newton's Laws

II.         The Sun

In the sun, sunlight, spectra and cosmic abundances, how elements are made, the solar wind.

III.       The Moon

Apollo explorations to the moon, minerals and rocks, craters and structure

IV.       Mercury

Its orbit, surface and structure

V.        Venus

The atmosphere and surface of Venus

VI.       Earth

Age of Earth and geologic time scale, basic internal structure and plate tectonics, atmosphere, oceans and life.

VII.      Mars

Surface processes, volcanoes and tectonics, Viking missions and the search for life

VIII.     The Giant Planets:  Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, & Neptune

Internal structures and atmospheres, magnetic fields in the solar system, magnetospheres, Voyager exploration of the outer solar system

IX.       Outer Satellites, Rings and Pluto

X.        Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites

XI.       Origin of the Solar System